Around £165,000 has of what police describe as “suspected criminal cash” was seized after a vehicle was stopped and searched near Banbridge today (Wednesday).
A 33-year-old was arrested and a second man detained – and drugs seized – during a follow-up search operation.
Officers from the PSNI’s Roads Policing Unit stopped the vehicle at around 1.30pm on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of criminal property, and remains in police custody at this time.
Follow-up searches were carried out in two properties in west Belfast in which a number of items were seized, including quantity of a suspected herbal cannabis worth an estimated £67,500, a further £6000 cash, drug supply paraphernalia and a round of ammunition.
The man has been further arrested for possession of a class B drug with intent to supply, possession of ammunition in suspicious circumstances and without a licence, possession of a class B drug, handling stolen goods and being concerned in the supply of a class B drug.”
Detective Inspector Conor Sweeney of the PSNI’s Organised Crime Unit welcomed today’s seizure.
He said: “We know from experience that removing cash and high value assets has a real impact on the organised criminal groups involved in exploiting our communities for their own profit.
“Such criminal groups are motivated only by financial gain and have no regard for the misery and suffering they inflict on the most vulnerable in our society.
“We remain determined to remove their ability to do so but we recognise we have much work to do.
“We are dependent on the assistance of the community for this work and, to this end, I would appeal for anyone with any information about this type of criminality to contact detectives on 101.”
A report can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/
